The polyphenylene ether resins constitute a family of high performance engineering thermoplastics possessing outstanding properties which makes them useful and desirable for many applications. These materials and methods for their preparation are described in many publications, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,306,874 and 3,306,875 to Allan Hay, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,257,357 and 3,257,358 to Gelu Stamatoff.
It is well known that the properties of polyphenylene ether resins can be materially upgraded by blending them with other polymeric materials. Polyphenylene ether resins alone, when molded, are somewhat brittle and may shatter or fracture upon impact. Also, the relatively high melt viscosity and softening point of the polymer can cause difficulty in processing. Lee, Jr. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,055 discloses blends of polyphenylene ether resin and polyolefin possessing good melt flow properties during molding and good impact strength after molding.